Welcome! The Poetry Gabriola Society hosts the Poetry Gabriola Festival each November, the Words and Music Concert Series, and has initiated a national commissioning project called Canada Speaks: New Literary Performance Works By Twelve Canadian Artists.

Canada Speaks! New Literary Performance Works by Twelve Canadian Artists

Poetry Gabriola Receives Arts Partners Commissioning Grant 

The Poetry Gabriola Society is very pleased to announce the receipt of an award from Arts Partners in Creative Development (APCD) to create Canada Speaks: New Literary Performance Works by Twelve Canadian Artists. The award of $24,000 will be used to commission twelve of the nation’s preeminent poets, spoken word and storytelling artists to create new works that will be presented from coast to coast. One of only 17 recipients from coast to coast, Poetry Gabriola is working hard on this national project and is looking forward to an exciting year! The artists who will be commissioned for this project are:

• Fortner Anderson, Montreal
• David Bateman, Vancouver/Toronto
• bill bissett, Vancouver and Toronto
• Ivan Coyote, Vancouver
• Drek Daa, Winnipeg
• Ian Ferrier, Montreal
• Kaie Kellough, Montreal
• Cheryl l'Hirondelle, Vancouver
• Evalyn Parry, Toronto
• Robert Priest, Toronto
• Richard Van Camp, Vancouver/Ft Smith, NWT
• Sheri-D Wilson, Calgary

Canada Speaks will be curated by Poetry Gabriola Artistic Director Hilary Peach, and the pieces will premiere on Gabriola Island in 2010. All of the commissioned artists are alumni of the Poetry Gabriola Festival. We think it’s extraordinary that a rural organization can create a national initiative that will impact artists across the country and influence the direction of an emerging genre. Twelve Gabriola artists will also be invited to perform their work at the 2010 event.